


Somewhere New

by poisonous_panda



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Cat, Duscae, Ebony - Freeform, F/M, Fluff, Heartbreak, Lestallum, Romance, beach, caem
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-17
Updated: 2017-04-19
Packaged: 2018-10-20 04:37:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,635
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10655055
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/poisonous_panda/pseuds/poisonous_panda
Summary: After her relationship breaks down, the reader moves to Caem and meets a rather charismatic wine-haired stranger with the cutest pet black cat and a romance soon blooms





	1. Moving Back Home

It hurt like hell when it happened.

Your husband, the man you had committed your life to in solemn vows, had decided enough was enough. In your heart of hearts, you could see it a mile away. You both hadn’t been happy for a while, and it had been threatened countless times. That doesn’t mean that it didn’t hit you like a chocobo herd when it was announced.

That is why you are now here, in this empty bedroom with it’s whitewashed walls, packing the last of your stuff up. He had already left, off to join his family in Tenebrae; and he had taken your beloved kitty cat. But you knew he could provide better than you could. As for you, your mother was bustling about the empty flat helping you gather your last possessions.

Nothing was said, some music was just playing on the radio. Life isn’t sunshine and rainbows unfortunately, but that doesn’t mean the heartbreak had to cripple you.

As your beloved mother zipped your last suitcase shut, you picked it up and with one last look around the flat, you both left the front door and got into the dark blue car your father had running.

Now you are Lestallum-bound. Homeward-bound after so many years out here in a sad, rainy town in Duscae. The only thing you would really miss is the sight of the Alstor Slough. One of your favourite pastimes on the more milder days was to go out and photograph the landscape, and once upon a time when you and your husband were still loved up, you would walk around the lake just getting lost in conversation with each other. At least there will be no reminders of those things in Lestallum.

The drive was one of comfortable silence. You weren’t a heartbroken mess and your parents knew you would open up if you needed them, but there was no drama. If anything, you just enjoyed their company. You had seen them rather sporadically throughout your years of living in Duscae, so being with them now meant more than anything. Smiling as you stare out of the window, you recall times when you and your father would treat yourselves to cockatrice skewers from the street vendors in Lestallum behind your mother’s back, also recalling bitterly how your husband would never join in because he was such a fussy eater. You could do that again!

As your father brings the car around to the main thoroughfare of the city, you and your mother get out and head for their modest-sized home along the narrow ramshackle streets whilst he looks for somewhere to park. It was comforting to be in such a densely populated area after the lonely wetlands that you were used to. The smell of human bodies, petrol fumes and all sorts of exotic spices from the markets mingled in the air and assaulted your nostrils in a lovingly familiar way, like how an overexcited Grandma would assault her beloved grandchildren’s faces. The smell of your childhood. The smell of your home.

Returning to your childhood home, you kiss your mother on the cheek, bend down to scratch behind your excited dog’s ears, then make your way upstairs to the bedroom you used to have as a teenager. You parents had got it all ready for you. The old pooch meanders up the stairs to see you again. Dogs are such loving creatures, they hold no grudge if you have been gone a long time. Putting your suitcase down onto the wooden laminate flooring, you sink onto your bed. A lovely lavander coloured bedspread was laid upon the mattress that matched beautifully to your curtains. Any form of purple had always been your favourite colour. The fact your parents remembered this and decorated it in such a way brought tears to your eyes, it was such a loving warm feeling. As the elderly dog yawns and stretches herself onto your lap, you embrace her in a sloppy cuddle and allow the tears to finally fall from your eyes.

Mourning your old life, and your old love.

But you’re home now. You may be single, but you will never be alone. Not whilst you have this tight-knit family.

After a few minutes, you release the dog, who is content to just curl up at the end of the mattress. Your eyes are sore and your nose feels blocked, but there is a sense of relief washing over you. It’s almost over, just need the divorce papers to be approved then you can start afresh.

A few weeks prior, you had called your old boss at the power plant to explain your situation and cheekily ask if there was any chance you could get your old job back. Apparently it had been hard to find staff - the consistant earthquakes from the Disk of Cauthess put people off of working in such a volatile environment, but Holly knew you was a good worker. After a few abandonment jokes being thrown your way, you and her made a verbal contract that you begin work next week. She wanted you to take the rest of this week to “settle in”.

There’s a knock at your bedroom door and the dog’s tail starts wagging excitedly, even if her old bones couldn’t keep up. Your father poked his smiling, bearded face around the door.

“Hope you’re hungry pet, I’ve brought home the best skewers I could find!”

You smile through brimming eyes.

“Thanks Papa. Let me just sort myself out then I’ll be right down.”

“That’s my girl. See you in a bit.” And with that, he was gone.

So that was that. Within a week you has picked up what was left of your life in Duscae and had already regained your roots in Lestallum. It was only temporary though. Being one of the last major cities outside of the walled-off Insomnia, overpopulation and pollution were huge issues as well as house prices being ridiculously high. It did make people a little resentful towards King Mors, and by extention his son Regis, because of the plush lives everyone had come to believe they lived compared to outside the city. You could not afford it alone. So the plan was to save as much as possible then relocate to a nicer area. 

This was the first day of the rest of your life, and dare you admit, you were excited at the prospect of this new freedom.


	2. New Direction

Minutes turned into days, days turned into weeks, then before you knew it you had been home in Lestallum for almost two months.

Your kindly parents did not want rent from you because they knew you were saving for your own place, so they did not want to hinder that. You had reconnected with childhood friends, revisited your old haunts and even enjoyed working back at the Exineris power plant. The routine gave you something to focus on and as you were saving your wages, it gave you a goal to work towards.

Despite this all helping, you did still cry at night; not as often as you did, but two months isn’t long enough to have fully let go of your soon-to-be ex-husband. It only really hurt when your mind wasn’t busy, and that usually meant late at night when everyone was asleep.

You’ve never liked the darkness, you’ve always been fearful of daemons. You even sleep with your curtains open so the bright lights of the city illumiate your room. Despite being nearly 30, you couldn’t help but hold onto these childish fears. That is why you would never ever go camping - you had never even seen one of those legendary Oracle campsites!

One such lonely night, you were sitting on a small plush chair in your bedroom, satin nightgown sticking to you slightly in Lestallum’s famous heat and you decided now was the time. You were glad being at home and reconnecting with everyone from your past has been the boost your spirits needed.

Pressing the keypass into your smartphone, the screen illuminates itself ready for use. Checking your online banking for the amount of gil you’ve saved (and Holly giving you overtime at the plant to help you along) you decide to start scouring for somewhere to live.

You know you’re not into city life so much anymore, not after the peace of the wetlands, and you want to be alone to help you heal. It’s nothing against your family - quite the contrary, you adore them - but you feel you need to be alone to work through the hurt. Also, after the fresh air and lush landscapes of Duscae, you do not feel suited to the overcrowded urban jungle anymore. You first checked the famous Galdin Quay but ooh boy was that expensive! More so than the city due to it being such an economically rich area. You’re not one for fishing anyway. Duscae was obviously out of the question as well - too many painful memories.

Somewhere you’re not very familiar with pops up on the moving websites - Caem. The only time you have ever heard of it is when people make fun of their country bumpkin accents, but you genuinely have no idea where it is. However, the quaint little cottages, cobbled paths, black stoned beaches and relatively good house prices sell you. After checking where it is on a map - delightfully finding out that it is much closer to Lestallum than Galdin Quay but still far enough for you to have some headspace - you check available listings.

After selecting a nice little apartment outside of the high street and emailing the landlord about your interest and including the required references, you look into Caem’s history.

It apparently had strong links to the Lucis Caelum royal bloodline in times of old. There is no connection now, it is just a small fishing port village with an endearing crumbling lighthouse as a landmark. But it times of old it was manor houses galore, with the royal household of Lucis holding several manors in the area for different members of the family. One such manor has been bought and has the upkeep paid for by an anonymous donor, although it is not open for visitors. However, the other manor houses - although not in as good condition - are. That excited you. Somewhere to take more photos for your scrapbook! You are not a photography enthusiast, just more of a hobbyist. A sentimental old fool who likes to keep happy memories nearby.

After stripping off your nightgown and giving your body a quick wash of cold water in the adjoining washroom, you lay on your bed and allow your mind to imagine what a new life in Caem might be like. Were there people still in the manor houses in fancy clothing and speaking in a funny way? Would the landscapes of the area live up to the photographs you’ve seen? And what were the people like? And were their accents truly that ridiculous?

Rather than cry tonight, you drift off with a smile on your face. Hopefully you will hear something from the landlord soon.


	3. Mischievous Kitty Cat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ardyn finally makes his appearance - sorry for making you wait!

You’re back in a white washed bedroom, but oh how the circumstances have changed!

The landlord you had emailed a while ago had agreed to let you view the property and you had brought your parents along. They were obviously upset you were going so far away, but they never wanted to clip your wings.

The viewing was lovely. A nice first floor apartment with a sea view, carpeted floors, a tiled kitchen and neutral colours throughout. You were sold immediately and placed down the tennant desposit there and then. You even had a job lined up. Your boss Holly was obviously disappointed at letting you go again but she also understood. You have always been an adventurous soul, it was a wonder your soon-to-be ex-husband fell in love with you considering he was more of an indoor man.

The pain from the breakdown of the marriage has been easing with each passing day now. Although you may always hold a piece of him in your heart - if only for the amount of years you were together - you no longer feel helpless or weighted down.

Life has begun anew, and here you are in your new empty whitewashed bedroom in Caem, unpacking to begin your new life.

The sun is shining and there is a gentle breeze in the air so you decide to explore. Then the next day, and the day after that too, Caem is so good to you with it’s beautiful landscapes, friendly villagers and mild weather, you find yourself barely able to stay indoors for long. Even night time alone has become pleasant. You have a job now that Holly helped you secure prior to relocating - Exineris have a partnership down here with a small company in the fishing port - so rather than working as a ‘Core Temperature Control Assistant’ at the big plant in Lestallum, you now have a rather easy job of ‘Assistant Surveyor’. This basically meant you would go with your more qualified colleagues to places like the old lighthouse or even some of the ships to ensure everything is working as it should be. The pay was good, the work wasn’t very challenging; the only downside was you were on your feet a lot so you tended to ache by the end of the day.

You know almost everyone by sight now, and being such a small community it was not uncommon to greet each other in the streets. You had visited the old lighthouse, most of the beaches and even the manor houses that you had read about prior to the move. Caem is beautiful, with beautiful people with kind caring souls. And thankfully not a ridiculous accent like you had been led to believe.

One bright Saturday morning (well it was almost noon in honesty, you had enjoyed a lie-in after working all week), you wake up with an urge to wander the seafront again. You had filled most of your scrapbook with photographs of the area but there was one place you had yet to see - Leirity Seaside with it’s famous black stoned beach. Not too much of a tourist spot because of the rocky terrain, but still beautiful in it’s own right. So you get up, get dressed into a nice black button shirt, denim skirt and some cute black ankle boots and set off. The weather has warmed up considerably so you begin wearing things a little out of your comfort zone just so you don’t overheat. Perfect beach weather, you smile to yourself.

The seaside is quite a walk from the village, so you’re in no rush. You walk down the high street, grab yourself a naughty jam doughnut from the local bakery for breakfast and set off onto the outskirts of the village. Through lush vegetation, tall grass and well spaced trees you see all kinds of wildlife and happily snap away on your favourite purple compact camera.

You’ve been in such a happy carefree daze all day that once you stumble upon a lonely looking convenience store your stomach rumbles. It had been a while since your breakfast doughnut. Obeying your tummy’s grumbling, you head into the shop and buy yourself a sandwich, an apple, a bottle of water to replace the now- empty one you brought from home and of course some chocolate to satisfy your sweet-tooth.

Thanking the shopkeeper, you pack everything into your moogle-face shaped handbag and continue on your journey. As you near the steep incline leading down the beach, you spot a rather large rock beside some trees and decide to have your picnic there. You also have a lovely view of the deserted beach.

As you munch your way through your picnic something catches your gaze along the water front. It’s a small black cat attacking some washed up seaweed. As the cat happily jumps at the plant and darts off, only to stalk back around, you can’t help but smile. You remember the fat indoor lapcat you and your husband shared; your baby. But alas, you knew the cat would have a better life with your husband due to your parents having a pet dog, so you made the hard decision to let him go too. Suddenly this black cat gets too excited and leaps into the sea. It bobs back up a second later, but it looks like it cannot swim back to shore.

Without a moment’s hesitation you spring to your feet and race down the incline. As you make your way across the black stones of the beach and near the water’s edge, a gravelly yet friendly voice calls out to you.

“Do not worry young lady!”

You turn around to find the owner of this voice and are struck by what you see. A man with wine-coloured hair lounging on his side on the grassy bank where the soil meets the beach, keeping his head propped up with one hand. He’s laying across a simple dark red blanket.

“She loves a swim, unfortunately she’s not very good at it!”

With that, he gets to his feet and makes his way over the stony ground towards you. As he nears, you can’t help but gawk at his clothing. He looks like he belongs in times of Old - back when men wore white ruffled shirts with equally wide ruffled wrists, black dress pants and dark well-worn boots made for walking long distances. Black fingerless gloves cover his hands too, and he is raising one to point towards the playful cat with his hand outstretched.

“Forgive my Ebony for frightening you, my dear. I assure you, I am never too far when she is near the mighty sea.”

He looks at you with a kind smile. He is quite a bit older than you, with a fuzz of stubble gracing his chin and the strangest amber-coloured eyes you have ever seen. The way he smiles at you makes his eyes wrinkle, but that only served to make him appear more handsome in a mature way.

Stammering, you try to apologise, looking down at your feet and rubbing the back of your head.

“I-Um… I’m sorry. Was just a natural reaction I guess.”

You avoid looking at the unique colour of his eyes, and curse yourself when you feel a gentle blush form along your cheeks. Was it because you have made a fool of yourself? Or because you’re not ready to admit you found this man attractive?

“A natural reaction?” He asks quizzitively, cocking his head to the side, that gentle smile resting on his lips still.

You shuffle your feet a bit. It felt wrong finding another man attractive, your divorce hasn’t even come through yet. And what would people think if they knew you had already started noticing other people? You’ve been separated for only a matter of months from a marriage that lasted several years and here you are blushing - on a beach of all stereotypical places - with an older, charming, handsome man. Talking about cats.

“Uh…well… yeah I guess. Looked like she was in tr- Wait!” A bell rings in your mind and before you can stop yourself from spitting the words out, “Ebony, like the coffee?” You can’t help but giggle.

The man’s smile widens and his eyes sparkle.

“Yes that’s correct my dear! Well done! You see, my dear Ebony was a stray, and the way she signified adopting me as her new owner was by jumping into my beloved car and knocking my Ebony coffee all over the upholstery!” He raises his arms in mock exaspiration and puts on a dramatic voice towards the end. It only sets you off giggling more.

“And she’s black like the drink!” You can’t help but splutter between giggles. It’s been a long time since you have laughed in such a carefree way, now the doors have opened it was hard to settle. You don’t even notice that the cat had already made her way safely to the man’s dark red blanket and had stretched out to sun herself dry.

“Well, I appreciate your concern for my little darling, ma’am,” The stranger says to you with a small wink that made your heart skip a beat. “But rest assured, you never need to skip your lunch to rescue her again.”

That stops you giggling. He is still smiling and is only being friendly but that made you feel silly. And the inner-turmoil of feeling guilty for unashamedly drinking in this man’s outlandish yet gorgeous appearance despite knowing you are still technically, legally, married had resurfaced in your mind. You suddenly feel very small, very silly, and very aware of every nerve-ending in your body. He had seen you eating on the rock and had seen you abandon your food to go after this unknown cat without so much as looking around. If you had just given yourself a second, you would have noticed this man watching and then probably prevented yourself from acting like an idiot. You chastise yourself in your mind then suddenly want to get away from this man very quickly.

“Well, I’ve already said I am sorry. It won’t happen again.” You reply, a little too defiantly due to the mixed thoughts in your head. And with that, you turn on your heel and walk off.

What you do not see however, is the questioning look the man gives you as you walk away, and that he continues to watch you wander up the incline, collect your belongings from the rock and then vanish from sight. The encounter may have left you feeling blustery and embarrassed, but you had intrigued this beautiful stranger.

After all, you had selflessly tried to save his cat without a second thought, then even when you did meet, you had no idea who he was despite the powerful political position he held. It wasn’t hard for him to guess you were new to the area.

Reflecting on your day as you got ready for bed, you couldn’t help but keep thinking of the stranger with the cat named after a beverage.

Although you hadn’t really got to know each other, you could not stop thinking about the way he smiled at you and made you laugh. Nobody had smiled at you like that with their undivided attention for a long time. It filled a small craving you didn’t know you had developed after so long alone, both inside and out of your marriage.

As you snuggle under your duvet, you let your mind wander back to the beach, to the stunning landscape, the photos you had taken, and the strangely dressed man. You remember before you moved here, back when you had read about the manor house history of Caem that were affiliated to the royal Lucis Caelum household. The stranger had been dressed rather fancy for a trip to the seaside.

As you drifted off to sleep, your imagination entertained you with silly scenerios of Kings and Queens with their own quirky pets roaming the manors of old. You imagined the eccentric beach stranger amongst them and was surprised at how well your imagination had made him fit.

He seemed to give off a regal aura like he was right at home.


	4. Around The Fire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Romance is slowly blossoming :)

The work week flies by as you get reaquainted with the sights of Caem with your colleagues, that you barely thought back to the flamboyant stranger at the beach. Also there were emails that needed answers from divorce solicitors and the like, so really your time was eaten up. But you enjoyed this independence and freedom.

You had visited the lighthouse again, a few docked ships, the odd small manufacturing factory and even a seafood prep factory (the smell of fresh seafood made you nauseous and hoped you’d never go back again!).

One day after an early finish, you make your way off the centre of the high street towards another small bakery. Time for some lunch and this place did the best sausage rolls you had ever had. You had become quite the bakery connoisseur since moving to Caem. Was you comfort eating? Or just enjoying yourself? Your new frame of mind finds it easier to believe the latter. You greet the baker, order your roll then nip across the street to a newsagents while he warms it up for you. Caem was a lovely place, if sparsely populated, so you had taken to reading the local newspapers to remind yourself that there is life outside of this village and in the rest of Lucis.

Whilst browsing, a pair of amber eyes catch your attention, but they aren’t real. The stranger from the beach is staring up at you from the front page of one of the papers, wine-coloured hair in a splayed mess all around a peculiar fedora perched on top of his head. Rather than the kindly smile you were used to, he had his lips twisted into a playful cheeky smirk as he peered up from under the brim of his hat towards the camera. That smirk was absolutely gorgeous, you noted. “Ardyn Izunia, Chancellor of Niflheim” the bold headline called him and you felt mortified. One of the most powerful political men in the whole of Eos had made you feel an inch high the other day in your haste to rescue a ‘drowning’ cat yet as you stood there laughing about his pet’s name you had absolutely no idea who he was! Any daydream you dared let your mind conjure up of you two meeting again and - dare you allow yourself to dream - getting more involved were dashed on the spot. Still, it had been nice to notice another man who wasn’t your ex-husband, so maybe the daydreams had served their purpose of helping you move on. That is what you tell yourself as you pick up the newspaper and take it to the checkout.

Doubling back to collect your sausage roll and a bottle of water, you find a bench to have a sit down, eat and read. You cursed yourself for all the times in the power plant back in Lestallum when your colleagues would have political discussions about the Empire that you were not interested in. If only you had listened! Another thing that would have prevented you from making a fool of yourself in front of him! Well…. nothing you can do about it now. It seems the Chancellor frequently travels between Niflheim and Lucis (other than Insomnia because it was still walled off) due to family links. This makes you chuckle a little; imagine the Chancellor travelling hundreds of miles just to see Ebony! Now you know you will never feel silly around him again because you just cannot let go of the thought of him being a crazy cat man! Standing up to bin your rubbish and the newspaper, you decide to head off home and treat yourself to a hot bath with lavander oils to ease your aching muscles.

—-

Settling down at home whilst texting your mother, you have a flip through your scrapbook. Caem never fails to take your breath away. But wait…. oh damn! Due to you meeting the Chancellor at Leirity Seaside the other day you had forgotten to take any photos! It was still light out, and you figured some Dusk photos would make a stunning addition to your collection. Dressing casually in some dark jeans, a black strap-sleeved top and your pink + black trainers, you ensure your hair is dry from the bath first before grabbing your moogle face-shaped handbag and purple digital camera then leaving your apartment.

Walking around, you see people out enjoying late lunches, couples walking hand-in-hand on the beach, youths loitering around and being a pain for passers-by. You photograph the old buildings, candid shots of people going about their daily lives in such a relaxed fashion it would be so out of place back home. But the sky is what catches your attention. The sun is beginning to set, so the clouds and the skyline have been painted the most beautiful mix of pinks and oranges you’d ever seen. You decide that the boulder you’d been sitting on before seeing Ebony in the sea would make a perfect vantage point for a photograph. A small part of you promises that if you see the black cat again, you will walk away. No need to make a fool of yourself more than you already have.

But when you get there the place is deserted. At your leisure you photograph the sky, the sea, the trees, the beach and…. is that…. is that a camping ground with the First Oracle’s protection markings?! You’re a city girl so this is such a rare sight for you, but you’re convinced it’s the real thing because the glyphs are glowing.

You take photos of the glyphs and of the camping ground in general, excited at the prospect of showing your parents, that what happens next was absolutely mortifying.

You hear someone clearing their throat whilst you’re on your knees in front of the raised camping ground snapping away, not really caring that the knees in your jeans were soaking through on the wet stones, so you raise your head. Looking up from the floor up to the edge of where the campsite was raised you notice smoke is swirling lazily into the darkening sky. But not from the campsite. Someone’s lit a campfire further along the rocky edge, away from the glyphs. How odd. You turn your head, scanning the higher levels, then your eyes lock once again with those enticing amber eyes. All you can do is kneel there open-mouthed, as you realise with shock that it probably looks like you were taking unauthorised photos of the Chancellor of Niflheim.

“I did not realise you had missed me so much, young lady!” Ardyn playfully calls down to you.

Quickly getting to your feet, an apology tumbles out of your mouth and how you never meant to offend someone in his position. At this his face lights up.

“Oh dear, now you know who I am. And I was so hoping to get to know you before you found out. You stammered so much just thinking I was an average man last week, I thought it best you not know of my authority lest you go mute.”

He has the kindest smile, and his words don’t seem to drip with spite as you expected, they seemed genuine and with a playful mockery. Still though, you cannot force yourself to say anything.

“Why don’t you come up here? Ebony is with me. Come say hello on dryer ground!” With that he turns away and saunters off.

You pull yourself up onto the higher terrain with a little effort and see Ardyn returning to sitting cross-legged on the floor, an open book in front of hiim and Ebony curled up close to the fire.

“Are you not afraid of the daemons?” You can’t help but inquire.

“Oh no my dear, Caem is certainly lit up enough without the need for those old runes on the campsites. And before you ask, consider me a man of superstition, so I have a hard time trusting those glyphs. Now, you mentioned having found out my identity from the local newspaper so may I enquire as to what I should call you?”

His answer about the glyphs bothers you a little, but he seems genuine enough so you tell him your name. At the sound of your voice, Ebony has awoken and stretches her back. Upon seeing you she meows curiously in your direction and tottles over to rub against your ankles.

“Ah-ha! She likes you.” Ardyn smiles, watching his cat wriggle around your legs. “And my lady, if I may be so bold, I adore the shape of your handbag. Moogles are such sweet-natured creatures.”

You smile at him then bend down to stroke the soft, well-groomed fur of the cat then take a seat on the ground where you are. This allows Ebony to inspect you further, she gets on your lap to sniff your shoulders, has a little turnaround, then jumps off a returns to her place by the fire.

“She is adorable!” You can’t help but squeak. Then you remember the photos. “Oh yeah I’m sorry if I caught you in the photos, I promise I didn’t actually know you were there! I’ll go through and if I find any I’ve accidentally snapped then I’ll delete them.”

“Calm yourself dear,” Ardyn lazily drawls, “Feel free to keep any photos. A man must always take pride in the way he looks, so such things should not matter.” He is smiling at you again and you notice what he is wearing: black dress pants and those dark boots again, but this time he is wearing what appears to be a lacy black long-sleeved dress shirt.

“You do dress…. Fancy, I must admit. But at least you and Ebony match tonight!” You try a little humour, just to help yourself feel a little more comfortable. Ardyn seems to enjoy your new openness.

“Ha, you see, that is exactly what I liked about you last week. But you scuttled off before we could talk more. I want to once again extend my thanks for your thoughtfulness when you thought Ebony was in a spot of bother in the sea. You say it was natural instinct, but let me tell you, this world is sorely lacking compassion.” For a split second you swear his mind has wandered off because a sadness seems to briefly cloud those beautiful eyes.

“Ummm… well… thank you.” You smile at him. A genuine smile. It feels so good to smile after all the heartache you’ve been through. And the way he smiles at you makes you feel like a real woman. Not a sad heartbroken case, not a newbie in town, but a woman who deserves the attention he is giving you.

You both spend a lot of time chatting and smiling and laughing. He tells you the lay of the land, you regale him with how you came about realising his political identity in that newspaper, he delights you with stories of Ebony’s exploits and you confide in him about your photograph scrapbook so he knows once again you meant no ill will. He enquires a little about where you came from and although you oblige him with tales of Lestallum, you leave out the main reason you moved so far away. To cut yourself away from your ex-husband. Although the pain has lessened significantly, and laughing like this with Ardyn - as witty and theatrical as he tends to be - helps, you do not want him burdened with your pain. He seems too carefree, what could the second most powerful man in the Empire really have to worry about? Obviously, other than his cat.

“It’s getting dark, I am going to head home.” You tell him. You enjoy his company but you’re not into camping, and honestly you’re a bit of a scaredy cat when it comes to the daemons. Besides, you barely know this man, so camping with a stranger was a definite no.

Ardyn understands. He offers to be a gentleman and walk you back but you would rather go alone. You’ve grown accustomed to being alone without realising, and you’re not willing to give it up yet. He at least wants you to tell him when you’re home safe, so you exchange mobile numbers. The Chancellor of Niflheim gave you his mobile number!

—–

Upon getting home, you debate even texting Ardyn. But the more rational side of yourself tells you to stop acting like such a dopey teenage girl.

_“Just got home. Thank u for not being angry about the photos”_

It doesn’t take long for him to reply.

_“Wonderful, I am glad you are safe. Keep the photos, maybe next time we shall take some together. Goodnight my dear.”_

Hmm, figures he would talk eloquently even over text messages. Then your phone beeps again.

_“I am curious. Is there anywhere you have not photographed here in Caem? For your book?”_

This catches you offguard. Was he implying he would take you? No, probably not. You’re just still basking in the glow of the fun you had with him earlier and you’re reading too much into it. Enthusiastically you text him back:

_“Not really. I’ve done the lighthouse, the public manors, the landscapes and now the campsite. Thank u for being interested though.”_

Putting your phone down, you busy about the flat getting ready for bed and boiling the kettle for some hot chocolate. Laying down on your mattress with the pillows propping you up, you begin to continue reading the book on your bedside table. It’s a delightful tale of a young man and his pet Coeurl journeying across the land in an attempt to help put the young man’s shattered memories back together. You were so immersed in the story that when your phone eventually beeped it had made you jump. It had easily been over an hour since you had answered Ardyn’s question. His text makes you raise your eyebrows in surprise.

_“You are a smart girl, am I right in assuming you know one of the manors on the outskirts of town belongs to an anonymous benefactor and is closed to the public? One of my ancestors purchased it and it is where Ebony and I live. Would you like to see it in it’s entire glory rather than the run-down public ones?”_

Your first thought is that you would love to! What an opportunity! But then…. Alone in Ardyn’s house with just him….. Would you be putting yourself in a vulnerable situation? But then you could argue both times you’ve been at the beach alone with him you could have potentially been vulnerable. And you suppose a man of his political standing wouldn’t be the type to allow for situations that would sully his reputation. Instead, you decide to bring it up in a more humourous way.

_“Oh Id *heart emoji* to! But mother always taught me not to wander off with strange men lol”_

Hopefully one as educated as Ardyn wouldn’t be at a loss understanding chatspeak. But you needn’t have worried because he texted you back within 2 minutes.

_“Feel free to bring a friend if you so wish :)”_

You can’t help but grin at the phone and gently blush. You really wanted to see him again. Seeing as he has always been a gentleman in the past, as well as how he was trying to put your masked uncomfortable feelings at ease, you decide he deserves the benefit of the doubt. You were feeling brave so quickly text back.

_“Ok sure, it’s a date! I’m free all weekend.”_

In lightning speed, he answers you:

_“Splendid. Leirity Seaside tomorrow noon? I shall escort you”_

You can’t help but let a little squeal out and widen your smile. He wants to see you! And he makes you feel so light and happy. You quickly answer him, confirming the plan then bid him goodnight. It has gone way past midnight and you are exhausted after such an eventful evening. You have already fallen asleep by the time Ardyn sends you another message.

_“Sleep well my lady, until next we meet.”_


	5. Roses and Kisses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ardyn's outfit that I have described in this chapter was inspired by this incredible bit of fanart http://owlteria.tumblr.com/post/157129839517/one-of-these-handsome-men-vests-3

You awaken - not for the first time since moving to Caem - with a smile on your face, but for a wholly different reason.

Today was the day! You and the enigma that is Ardyn Izunia had planned to see each other today rather than cross paths when you least expected it. There is the slight worry you may make a fool of yourself again, but he seems to take your behaviour in his stride so you find yourself starting to trust him. He had offered to let you bring a friend when you meet him to help you feel more comfortable, but after all the times you have met, you feel safe with him. He wouldn’t have offered otherwise surely? But the light giddy feeling he gave you made you want him all to yourself. It had been a long time since you had felt this way about someone, a long time since you felt you deserved someone’s attention. That’s the trouble when a long-term relationship - be it married or otherwise - breaks down; you feel stuck, undesireable and lonely.

Ardyn made you feel the complete opposite. The way he always smiled kindly at you, how he would show his affection for Ebony the cat so unashamedly for all the world to see, and the way he actually listened and enjoyed hearing you speak. He had even admitted to hiding his Chancellor of Niflheim status from you because you seemed to struggle to speak around him. The lonely black feeling in your chest has eased considerably since moving from Lestallum to Caem, and Ardyn had made your heart wake up and bloom like a red rose after a long winter.

All of the guilt for allowing yourself to be drawn to him despite still legally being married had long sunk away. You are allowed to be happy, nobody should ever take that basic right away from you. There is life after love, and potentially even another love after love. Life didn’t come with instructions….. right?

You spend a little while looking for something to wear. You wanted to look nice for him; it had been ages since you had gotten dressed up for anything and Ardyn always seemed so classy - even with that untamely hair of his, yet you didn’t want to come across too forward. Selecting a cute bright red summer dress with strap sleeves, you proceed to put some eye makeup on to accentuate your features, but oh no definitely not a full face of products. Sliding on some black flat shoes and picking up your moogle-face bag, you feel ready to see him again.

The way to Leirity Seaside was uneventful. It was a warm day with a gentle breeze that swayed the fabric of your dress and gently stroked your hair. The sun was shining and illuminating everything; it was as if the happiness you were carrying had manifested itself within the weather.

Upon arriving at the lip of the seaside, you spot Ardyn and his magenta convertible car straight away. They weren’t exactly inconspicuous! The car had a white racing stripe painted directly down the middle, and the interior looked a plush plum type of leather. Very regal, you couldn’t help but note. Ardyn looked as fancy as ever - pinstriped dark trousers, his favourite pair of black boots, a charcoal grey button-shirt with long sleeves and an odd choice of waistcoat completed the outfit. It looked like a light green silky material with velvet-like black swirls embellished into it. Also, for the first time seeing it in real life, you notice the fedora sitting ontop his head like the photograph you had seen in the newspaper. He was leaning against the bonnet of the car looking straight at you with that kindly smile on his face again, he knew which direction you would be arriving from after all. You see his amber eyes take your own outfit in, then he pushes himself off the car and bows slightly to you, removing the fedora too. It is a sweet greeting, but one you are not used to, so despite smiling at him you avert your gaze.

“Good afternoon my lady, it is good to see you again,” Ardyn breaks the silence, “I do so adore the colour of your dress, if you do not mind my saying. I have always had a fondness for red and purple things, just like my dear old girl here.” He raises his hand behind him, gesturing to the car. He is wearing some black fingerless gloves that you hadn’t noticed before.

Once again the words tumble out before you can think properly.

“Aren’t you hot in all those layers?” Then your eyes widen in disbelief, did you seriously just say that? “Ah, sorry. Was just surprised. Um… thank you for inviting me to see the manor house, it really means a lot.” You hope that’s smoothed the situation over, but Ardyn seems to enjoy your company rather than made uncomfortable with your lack of verbal barriers.

“I assure you this shirt is thin enough my darling, do not worry your pretty little head about me. I am just not a fan of direct sunlight. Sunburn can be such a nuisance.” The sunlight really brightens his amber irises and you find yourself unable to break eye contact. So he continues talking.

“I must admit something quickly,” He returns your gaze and genuinely looks sheepish, “I am glad you decided to come alone. Of course I would never object if you brought someone along as I understand the world can be an unkind place to women travelling by themselves.”

Your face breaks into a smile and he mirrors it.

“I trust you, after all I could easily ruin your reputation otherwise!” You laugh at him.

“True,” He replies, “And Ebony would never forgive me if I harmed her dear friend. My girl has quite the temper would you believe!”

There’s that happy blooming feeling in your chest again, you genuinely think your heart has turned into a summer rose.

“Anyway my dear, shall we be off.” He says it more as a statement than a question.

Ardyn walks across to the passenger front seat and opens the door, then turns his head to you. Realising he is doing it for you, you scuttle over to him and take your seat, mumbling a rushed thank you as you did so. It was such a gentlemanly thing to do, but like his bowing, it was something you wasn’t accustomed to. Before he could let go of the car door you notice the car’s aerial.

“Is that a Moogle pom pom?” You look up at him excitedly.

“Yes it is my lady, they are such gentle creatures aren’t they. If only humans and the Gods could afford each other that compassion.” There’s that dark look clouding his eyes again just like from the campsite, but as soon as it appeared it was gone and the smile never left his face. His hand still on the car door, he bends down to speak closer to your face.

“Why do you think I complimented your bag as soon as we had met?”

You swear you caught a whiff of some kind of spice, but not any you were accustomed to. Was it coming from Ardyn?

Before it could become uncomfortable or creepy, he was already walking - well, more sauntering - around the car front to the driver’s seat. Getting in and giving you a quick smile, he starts the car and off you go.

The car drive was peaceful. Due to him having the top of the car down, you were free to get moving shots of the landscape, and you even took a few cheeky shots of Ardyn driving. His eyes never left the road but he smiled every time you did. You made small talk; he’d tell you roughly what to expect at the old manor house, he seems very keen to show you the garden and you ask about Ebony (the little black cat has really clawed her way into your heart).

You also ask about the history of the place, but Ardyn just replies “All in due time my dear.”

Ardyn turns into a gravelly, winding road and at the end of it you see the grey stone manor. No gates, and a very unimposing front. Truth be told it looked cold and empty, but then again appearances could be deceiving. Remembering back to the newspaper article you had read, you raised a question with Ardyn as he parked the car and you both made your way to the front door above a few stone steps.

“I read in the paper I told you about that you come here on family business. Does your family live here?” You’re suprised the thought hadn’t occurred to you earlier.

“Unfortunately no,” Ardyn replies, “I have no family to speak of, I just like to come back from time to time to relieve myself of the stress from the Empire. You see, the place always reminds me of happier times with my father and brother before they both passed. So I guess you could say this house is a family heirloom. Ebony obviously travels back and forth with me, I could not abide leaving her here alone.”

You suddenly feel bad about making him remember his dead relatives, so you mumble a sheepish apology. He literally waves it off with his hand and tells you how you simply must see the garden for your photos, and it is more than likely where you will both find Ebony as she does enjoy sunning herself.

As soon as you step out into the garden you can see why Ardyn has been so eager for you to see it. It was the biggest garden you had ever seen! Rose bushes of all different colours, ivy twining its way over ancient looking fences and lush green grass with all manner of petals strewn over it. Must have been blown off in the breeze. You have the time of your life snapping away at all the colours and angles, you just wished the photos could capture the way the garden smelt.

In a shady corner of the garden, Ardyn is sitting on a metal chair with intricate swirls in the metalwork and his fedora is sitting on the matching table next to him. You don’t notice him, or the two drinks he has brought out with him that look to be some sort of berry juice with ice cubes. Nor do you notice Ebony is sitting on her master’s lap or the fact he is watching you flit about like a red hummingbird. He notices every way you move, how your eyes are full of happiness and how you’re trying to drink in this Eden too quickly. He notices how you stand and crouch in funny ways for the perfect shots and he notices how your movements and the gentle breeze moves your hair and the fabric of your dress.

You walk over after what seems like forever, exhausted and happy. You pull up a chair next to him, but before you sit down you reach over his shoulder to fuss Ebony’s head affectionately, not even being embarrassed she is sitting on Ardyn’s lap. You’re in too much of a bright mood. Ardyn reaches up and places one hand on your outstretched arm in an affectionate manner. You look down at him as he asks you a question.

“Do you think you could get a photo of all three of us? Sitting just as we are?”

You happily oblige. Still standing behind his chair, you stretch your arm out whilst holding the camera to take a selfie. You click a couple just to make sure you get a good shot then finally take your seat. Ardyn requests to see your photos and as you pass your camera over to him, he also passes you a glass of the cold berry juice. He really likes your shots, and you beam into your drink as he scrolls through. Ebony is annoyed Ardyn has stopped fussing her so she walks over the chair arm rests and curls onto your lap instead. You do not even care that she will leave black hair all over your red dress and happily make a fuss of her face as she begins to purr. Ardyn stops scrolling, the photo of the three of you still on the screen. He looks over at you but you are too engrossed in Ebony’s purring to notice, so he leans over a little to purr in your ear himself.

“I did say we would maybe get a photo together next time didn’t I my little rose.”

There’s the faint scent of spicy cinnamon again. This time, the term of endearment he is using is very different to the usual formal type, like ‘my lady’ or ‘my darling’ that you had come to expect. And this is the second time he has leaned in close enough for you to catch that scent. You still haven’t taken your eyes off Ebony but you have butterflies in your tummy.

Lost for words, you just smile at him and he smiles back. Then eventually you keep the conversation going.

“Do you like it?”

“Oh my dear I love it. May I keep one?”

“Of course you can.” This time your voice hitches a little, giving away that you are blushing.

Ardyn’s face scrunches a little. He’s worried he is making you uncomfortable so he leans back and changes the subject.

“In the automobile earlier you asked about the history of this manor. I trust that you are a smart girl and you already know these were linked to the Lucis Caelum household? That is all the information I can really give you myself. However, if you are as brave as I suspect seeing as you are an independent traveller, there has been a film made around the fables of yore.”

“Fables of yore?” You ask.

“Yes. The film is a little scary if you are wary of daemons and the like however. Everyone knows about the fable of the King of Lucis’ ring containing the souls of dead rulers past right?” You nod, everyone knew this. “Well what about everyone else who served the Lucis Caelum household? What happened to their souls? The film itself is entirely fictional as it is based on a fable, but I have it if you wish to watch it.”

You think back to how you sleep with your curtains open just so the light can pour into your bedroom. You ARE a scaredy cat, but of REAL daemons. A film wouldn’t be bad would it? Besides, you would be safe with Ardyn. It isn’t real after all.

“Yes can we watch it please?” You blurt out before thinking it through. Honestly you just wanted to spend more time with him and it was making you overly-agreeable.

Ardyn is happy to hear it. He leads you inside and points you towards the living room, telling you to make yourself comfortable while he refills both your glasses.

The living room is absolutely stunning. Soft thick crimson red carpet with matching curtains set against cream walls. There’s a black leather two seater settee underneath a double frame window as well as a matching corner settee further back. The flat-screen TV is on a dark mahogany wood stand facing the two seater. There’s a white shaggy rug in the centre of the room that Ebony wastes no time stretching out on and directly above her is a spotlight light-fitting that appeared to have butterflies crafted into the metalwork. It was quite a darkly decorated room, but in a cosy way rather than depressing. The deep red gave a warm friendly feeling to the room. Ardyn wasn’t pretending when he said he was fond of red. A part of you was proud of yourself for picking to wear a red dress. Which reminds you….

The settees are leather and you have bare legs. You would rather not stick to them and make a fool of yourself. Ardyn is still in the kitchen, you can hear cupboards opening and closing even though he had only gone to refill your drinks, so you scan the room again. In the corner, underneath another small mahogony wood stand that had a single drawer, you spot what look like soft white blankets. Striding over and picking one up, you lay it across the two seater directly facing the TV then lean over and draw the curtains. You are watching a scary film after all.

Wait….. what if Ardyn thinks you mean it in a more suggestive manner?

Before your panic can even set in Ardyn appears in the doorway holding a tray with two of the juice-filled glasses and what looks like a plate of small round chocolates. He is smiling at you again and it insteantly soothes that irrational panic. You open your mouth to explain yourself anyway but Ardyn beats you to the punch.

“I see you are prepared for the scares!” He chirps away, and you feel tightness in your muscles you didn’t know you had instantly relax.

He sets the tray down and busies himself sorting the TV out and retrieving a DVD from the drawer you had walked over to earlier to pick up the blanket. After he sets it up you ask to read the back of the case, so once everything is up and running, he walks over to you, hands you the case and takes a seat next to you. The closeness and warmth is relaxing. You had fallen for this man without even fully noticing, so the close proximity was very welcome.

Quickly scanning the back of the case you find out this film is based in the manors of Old, with the royalty line still living in it as Ardyn had explained. What wasn’t known was that the Draconian god, Bahamut, had sealed daemonic imps below the area one of the manors was built upon. Cue the usual seal breaking, daemons running amok and people dying. You were glad Ardyn had told you it wasn’t based on a true story, but the idea of daemons being sealed away beneath your feet unnerved you so you bought your feet up from the floor and tucked them underneath you so you were sitting on them. The movement made you lean to the side ever-so-slightly, but Ardyn noticed so he put his arm loosely around your shoulders, easy to brush off if you so wished. But of course you didn’t. You appreciated that he probably thought you was scared of the film. At first you weren’t, but then there was a particularly graphic scene of a Reaper cleaving it’s scythe through some poor unfortunate person and you instinctively turned your head away…. right into Ardyn’s shoulder. There’s a low rumbling in his chest as he chuckles at you cowering.

There’s that cinnamon scent again, but much stronger. He smelled delicious.

Ardyn tightens his arm around your shoulderblades, his thumb reassuringly stroking your forearm, and you bring a hand up from your lap to curl your fingers around the dip of his waistcoat on his chest. He turns his head to look at the top of yours, his stubble softly grazing your forehead accidentally. He turns his body a little so he can use his other hand to slip under your chin. He wraps his first two fingers and thumb around your jawline and tilts your face up to meet his concerned gaze.

“Are you alright? Shall I turn it off?”

Unable to speak because the closeness of your faces had rendered your vocal chords useless, you simply shake your head into his hand. You are glad you had the foresight to shut the curtains, you were blushing deeply and probably matched your dress, but his gentle yet firm grip kept you in place.

“Are you sure?” He seemed a little closer than his last question, you’re feeling dizzy from the strong cinnamon smell and you’ve tighted your hand’s grip on his waistcoat, oblivious to how clammy it was getting. Or was you just dizzy from the euphoric effect his attention had on you after so long of feeling undesireable and unappreciated? You look up a little more, intent on answering him this time but you never get the chance.

Ardyn sees your face moving closer, and he knows how you are blushing because he can feel the heat in his hand. He closes the gap slowly - giving you every opportunity to pull away - then his surprisingly soft lips are on yours in a chaste kiss, his stubble scratching you softly. He pulls back a little to look at you again, like he is asking permission, the film forgotten. You can barely hear it anyway. You give him the permission he is silently requesting by raising yourself onto your knees beside him so that you are eye-to-eye with him. He still has one hand around your shoulderblades and the other holding your chin whilst you still have one holding his waistcoat. You bring your other arm up to gently entangle your fingers into the back of his red mane of hair.

You both stare at each other like that for what feels like hours, merely inches apart, when in reality it was all done in seconds. You close the gap this time, unable to resist the urge with every hot breath you feel come from him. Both of you tighten your grip on each other as you explore each other’s mouths more desperately this time, tongues dancing out the words you cannot speak, drinking in the taste of each other mixed with the berry juice you had shared. You feel grateful to this man, he has helped pull you out of a cycle of unhappiness where you never felt good enough, where you never felt you could love again, never deserved to be loved again. The ex-husband you mourned now a distant memory.

Ardyn himself would never admit it, but in his long years of walking this planet he has seen human compassion slowly wither away. That is why he was so taken with you as soon as he realised what you were doing on that beach, attempting to save his cat. To a man drowning in bitterness and resentment, that one act you performed had awakened some hope within him.

Ebony meows loudly from the doorway, causing you both to breathlessly break apart and stare at her in case something was wrong. She scuttles off, continuing her yowl, so you both share a quick worried glance and then get up and follow her.

Ardyn gets to the back door first, then he starts laughing.

“I think Ebony was jealous of our moment back there.” He says with his back to you.

“Wh-what?” You ask, the sunlight dazing you a little after the darkness of the living room and the adrenline rush from kissing Ardyn.

“She’s killed a bird and wanted us to come and see.” he tilts his head back a little to look at you over his shoulder, “I think she’s worried she might get replaced by you.” Then he gives you a subtle wink.

Smiling, you walk over to him in the doorway and he nods in Ebony’s direction. She’s underneath one of the rose shrubs, and you can just make out a Daggerquill wing before it is pulled out of sight. Ebony emerges a few seconds later covered in white and blue feathers that make you and Ardyn chuckle. She hadn’t killed it for food, it was just instinct.

The pair of you do not break your gaze from Ebony, but Ardyn snakes an arm around your waist and you mirror his action, then rest your head on his shoulder. He turns his head slightly to place a small kiss into your hair.

“I guess I had better clean up after her.” Was all he said as he released you then stepped down into the garden.

You watch him go with your arms wrapped around yourself, the happiest you have felt in such a long time.


	6. Love in the Sun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pure fan service for a friend of mine :) Inspired by this photo lol http://dirtyffxvconfession.tumblr.com/post/159724005227

The email was making you nervous. But not because of the content, but because of what it means.

It was from your solicitor. Your divorce is getting finalised so you need to sign papers. That’s not an issue in itself - but now you feel you must tell Ardyn that you are married, albeit soon to be free.

You’d been struggling to find the time and the words to bring it up. You had been an exclusive item for…. must be coming up to four months now? Time is just flying by. But between him going away on Niflheim business to you working yourself, you both barely saw each other. It’s not like you sat at home pining for him, you had your own life too, but that doesn’t mean you didn’t miss him. So you just couldn’t bring yourself to ruin the precious times you did get together.

They really were precious. Sometimes you visited the sights in Caem, or he would take you to Lestallum (but refuse to meet your parents. Claimed he was nervous about the age gap) or you both would just hang out either at his manor or your apartment. Those lazy days were the best in your opinion - sometimes he would just show up and you’d have no makeup on or might still be lounging in your pajamas. Whether you watched movies together, cooked together, made love or just spent the time talking about the past and your dreams for the future. He never minded. You’ve tried to pull the same trick on him but he was either never there or always impeccably dressed. Guess he wasn’t kidding when he told you all that time ago that a man must always take pride in how he looks.

Ardyn had extensive knowledge of flora and fauna and gave you places to go to look for specific things from his stories that caught your interest, so you always had photos to show him when he returned. As a thank you gesture, you would always have gifts for him when he returned; mainly just silly romantic things like your most recent purchase - a little moogle teddy that held a heart in its adorably small hands. You figured he could keep it in his car for company so he isn’t so alone on his travels. It would also match the pom pom on his car aerial. And of course, you always bought treats for Ebony. Ardyn had playfully remarked that she has become “somewhat of a behemoth” since meeting you due to her weight gain.

He came back from a business trip yesterday and claimed he had things to finish before seeing you. That gave you overnight to work up the courage to tell him the truth. And hopefully little Kupo - you had named the moogle plushie - would be your good luck charm and help break the ice of the situation.

Then your phone beeped. It was from Ardyn.

_Good morning my lady. The sun is shining, shall we visit the beach? I am feeling a picnic with Ebony. She has asked me to invite you._

Whenever he spoke of Ebony like that you couldn’t help but smile. You loved that cat like your own.

 _Guess I could put up with u for her sake ;)_ You reply. He replies within seconds.

_Thank you. She’s quite the spoilt little lady! I shall pick you up within the hour._

With that you bustle about getting ready. It is very hot today so you opt for a bright red bikini with an equally bright red translucent sarong to cover yourself from the hips down. Ardyn arrived just as you were applying suncream.

Despite the weather he was still covered, yet it no longer perplexes you. He’s made it clear he loathes sunburn and he never overheats so you leave him to it. He’s wearing a long-sleeved navy silk shirt with ruffled cuffs and some pinstriped trousers along with his beloved boots. No gloves this time. You offer him suncream but he declines with a gentle shake of his head before planting a kiss on your forehead then leading you out of the apartment. You’d stashed Kupo into your handbag so you could present it to Ardyn later on.

Ebony was waiting in the back of the convertible and mewed at the sight of you. She always made you and Ardyn chuckle. As you got into the back with her you enquired as to why she’s loose and not in a carrier in case she gets hurt.

“My dear, could you really imagine such a willful creature caged? She would never abide such a thing!” Was Ardyn’s answer. She HAD been a stray after all, so you suppose it does make sense that she wouldn’t like to be cooped up.

The drive was quiet. Due to the heat Ardyn had kept the top of the car down and the wind whipped over you in pleasantly cool waves, ruffling your hair and Ebony’s fur. Ebony had made herself comfortable on your lap and didn’t seem to notice.

You knew you were near Leirity Seaside again when you began to hear the waves over the car’s purring engine.

Ardyn pulls up in the shade of the tree you once sat under, many moons ago, with your own little picnic the day you met the mischevious kitty currently curled up on your lap. He had thought the large rock you had used as a table back then would suffice you both now. He had packed a wicker basket with a few sandwiches, fruits and - of course he knew about your devilish sweet tooth - some small chocolates. As he laid a deep red blanket over the rock so you both had somewhere comfortable to sit, you decided now was your chance. Whilst his back was turned and he was setting the picnic out, you gently pushed Ebony off your lap, retrieved Kupo from your handbag and approached him. He was only a few steps away from the back passenger door because he had parked horizontally, making the most of the shade provided by the tree.

“A-Ardyn?” You quietly say, mentally scolding yourself for stuttering.

He goes to turn around but you’re already behind him, so you put one hand on his back to stop his movement. It’ll be easier if you don’t have to look at his face. Instead you focus on how soft his shirt is on your hand as it rests in the middle of his back, fingers splayed wide open. He seems to understand and stops moving.

There’s a pause as you both wait.

“There’s something…. I’ve been meaning to tell you. But you’ve got to promise not to be mad.”

“Why ever would I be mad at you?” Came his reply. Despite having a low and somewhat gravelly voice, he had a way of making it sound like a sweet purr. His body language betrays his words though because his back has stiffened and he’s now standing bolt upright. He doesn’t try to turn around though.

Thoughts are rushing though your mind and your feet are getting restless. This is so uncomfortable. What if he really does get angry? What if he never wants to see you again? Then an idea flashes into your mind. Use Kupo for deflection.

Reaching round his waist with both arms, you cup Kupo in front of him and he looks down at the innocent moogle holding the heart out to him.

“….. Kupo has kept a secret from you.” You barely whisper and begin blushing. It’s such a silly scenerio but you think it may be the only way to be truthful.

“Hmmmm…” Ardyn let’s out a small noise, studying the plushie. He brings both his hands up to it and takes it from your own. Now free from the plushie, you rest both your hands on his hips and lean the side of your face against his back.

“And what has… Kupo… been hiding?” He knows you’re playing a game, you can hear the smile in his voice. It helps you relax and you smile into the fabric of his shirt.

“Kupo is married. But the divorce has come through so she will be free to be all yours as soon she sends off her signature.” The words come out in a rush, and Ardyn is silent for a few moments, making you wonder if he understood your rushed speech. Your nerves prompt you to continue speaking.

“She’s really sorry for not telling you! But you made her so happy she didn’t want to spoil it.”

Ardyn still hasn’t said anything. It was starting to make your stomach churn. Should you just let go of him and walk away?

Just as that idea started to seem appealing, Ardyn moved. Well, more like bent. He bent down lightly to place Kupo on the blanket he was working on a few minutes before, then before you know it he has turned around and wrapped his arms around you, resting his head on yours.

“Does the young lady wish to stay with me?” He asks into your hair. You still haven’t seen his face since your revelation. Instead you bunch your fists into his soft silk shirt.

“Of course she does.”

“Then that is all that matters.”

At that, your whole body relaxes in his arms. You wasn’t even aware that you had tensed up until it happened. After a couple of seconds you felt brave enough to face him, so lifted your head slightly to meet his warm sunshine-coloured eyes. You’re a rather tall girl and there’s only a few inches between you both.

“I-”

Ardyn didn’t give you time to finish. His lips found yours in a soft, reassuring kiss. You melted into it, probing your tongue against his lips asking for permission, which he gladly gives. Any worries you had about him accepting you afterwards melted away. Now you truly felt free, and you suspected that nobody could ever feel as elated as you did right now - not even King Mors and his son Regis, with all their riches in the Citadel at Insomnia - could know the happiness of someone accepting you so readily when you were left so broken. This sort of love you felt blossoming in your chest wasn’t the kind money could buy.

By the time you had noticed Ardyn was slowly pushing you back, he had already opened the passenger back door of his car and pushed you onto the cool leather interior. Despite being such a sunny day, the shade from the tree had kept the car cool.

“I do so love seeing you in red my darling, but this has got to go.” Ardyn drawls at you with a smirk playing on his lips. In one swift motion, he had loosened the sarong around your waist and tossed it to the floor. You were left laying in the back of his car in just your bikini. Six knows where Ebony had wandered off to.

“Ardyn….” You go to question him, but your words failed you as he bent down to kiss around your navel. You lace your fingers into his soft unruly locks and allow yourself to enjoy the soft grazing of his stubble on your abdomen as he worked his way across.

He pulls away and lifts one knee up to the car seats so he can position himself on top of you before leaning down to look you in the eyes, place one of his elbows to the side of you for balance and use the other to bring a hand to your face. Then he begins to kiss down your neck, his hot breath making your skin sensitive before he’d even made contact. It seemed to have the desired effect because your heart had began beating faster and you were involuntarily panting.

Planting one more kiss at the base of your neck he chuckles softly into your skin.

“I don’t care you are married. He was a fool letting you go. A mistake I will not make.”

His statement sends shivers through your body, just a few touches and a few choice words from him never failed to put you into a state of bliss. You wrap your legs around his midsection, silently glad he still had the top down otherwise this would’ve been impossible, then wrap your arms around his neck to pull him into a deep kiss. You want to say thank you and kiss him and - oh god the way he’s making you feel right now - make love to him to show him how much you appreciate and love him.

You’re both already sweating from the weather, but that doesn’t stop you slowly grinding your hips against his, and you feel his erection stand to attention. He pulls away from your kiss once he realises what you’re up to.

“In such a public place? My my, you are a bad girl.”

“There’s nobody around!” You squeal indignantly back at him, but neither of you have stopped smiling.

“In that case…” He maintains eye contact with you as his fingers slide down your hips, to your bikini bottoms, then slide them down your legs. Now you really felt exposed, and with Ardyn standing over you looking down, you felt positively captive.

He lingers for a few moments, a few too long in your opinion, so you sit up and attack his belt buckle. He runs a hand through your hair as you work, eventually freeing his hard shaft and pulling his trousers and boxers past his knees. The sight of him never failed to arouse you, he looked glorious in every way possible.

Smirking, Ardyn proceeds to crawl on top of you, positioning himself between your legs. Trying to do this in the car wasn’t the most comfortable of things, but lust does not wait. You lay flat across the back seat and hook one of your legs over the front passenger headrest and your other leg over the open back of the car - where the back window would be if the top was up. It was the best way you could give Ardyn the access you both desired.

He fumbles with his erection a little, trying to find your slick entrance, then once his head is wet enough he pushes his entire length inside of you, making you both gasp. You’re so warm around him and he’s filled the inside of you….. but he’s not moving. He’s just watching your face and the delicious expressions you make as you enjoy the feel of him.

“Enjoying yourself darling?” He taunts you.

“Do you ever shut up?” You mock-huff at him, moving your hips up and down so there can be no mistake what you want from him.

“Just this once. For you.” He smiles as he leans down to kiss you and as soon as your lips connect he thrusts his hips, burying his cock deeper into you and making you moan into his mouth.

Satisfied you’re enjoying yourself, Ardyn settles into a rhythm, both of your hips dancing to the tune of the pleasure you’re giving each other, small gasps and moans escaping your lips. Ardyn buries his face into the crook of your neck and you tilt your head back to give him better access, closing your eyes and tighting your arms around his shoulders.

You were both lost in the feelings of each other, but like all good things, sex isn’t meant to last. You could of both stayed locked in your intimate dance forever for all you both cared, but all too soon you felt yourself reaching your peak. As you climbed higher and higher, your moans got louder and Ardyn thrusted into you harder. As you reach your climax, you laced your fingers through his hair and pulled, calling Ardyn’s name as you did so. This sent him over the edge too and he all but exploded into you, burying his face deeper into your neck as a deep groan eminated from his throat. He did so love hearing you call his name.

You both lay there panting in each other’s arms, not bothering to separate yourselves just yet, not caring for the juices you could feel running between your legs.

As the afterglow fades, you both untangle yourselves from each other. You’re a little embarrassed but there’s tears in your eyes. You’re so happy. Ardyn has accepted you with all your flaws and now even knows the secret you had been habouring all this time. Yet he still loved you, and had just proved it. He stands up and redresses himself, retrieving your sarong and bikini bottoms.

“I think,” he breathlessly says whilst hunting around for the napkins that were meant for your picnic, “That I’ve claimed you as my own now.” He looks at you whilst you’re still laying across the back seat and winks. If you wasn’t so exhausted you may have blushed. You know he’s talking about the divorce, he’s not some misogynist, he’s just playing with you and you know it.

You sit up and tidy yourself up with the napkins Ardyn’s provided for you and redress yourself. The sun’s beginning to set and neither of you had noticed that Ebony had made her way back to the car at some point during your ‘dance’ and had gone to sleep in the front passenger seat.

Once you were both dressed, you sit up in the back of the car and Ardyn joins you, resting his arm around your shoulders as he does. You lean your head against his shoulder and close your eyes, perfectly content. He laces his hand through the one you have resting on your lap and lays his head on top of yours.

“Open your eyes sweetheart,” He nudges you softly with his shoulder, “The sun is setting.”

You open your eyes dreamily and look off to the side towards the sunset, drinking in the colours it painted the sky as Ardyn rubbed your forearm with his hand.

Everything was perfect.

There’s nowhere else you’d rather be, and nobody else you would rather be with.


End file.
